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DEBT
DEMOLITION |
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 Preston Makedonia F.C. Debt Demolition Fund
There is hardly a Macedonian person today living in
Melbourne, Victoria, or indeed throughout Australia, who
has not heard the patriotic chant of ‘Makedonia, Makedonia,
Makedonia’ echoing from the crowd at a Preston Makedonia
game at least once in their lifetime. It is a feeling that
only a Macedonian can understand - one that conjures up a
mixture of emotion, passion, sacrifice, loyalty, courage
and hope.
For over 50 years, the Preston Makedonia Football Club has
been the national face of the Macedonian community here in
Australia and can arguably lay claim to being the biggest
and most well known Macedonian sporting club outside of
the Republic of Macedonia. In many ways Preston was
responsible for putting Macedonians on the map in this
country through its successful participation in the
National Soccer League during the 1980s and 90s. Not only
is it a focal point for members of the local Macedonian
community, but it also provides the younger members of our
community with an opportunity to learn and play the ‘world
game’. And the club continues to be a linchpin, the ‘glue’
that binds the Macedonian community together.
But today, all that which has been built up over the past
50 years is at serious risk. 2011 marks what is without
doubt the most critical juncture in the history of the
Preston Makedonia Football Club. There is every likelihood
that Preston Makedonia will cease to exist beyond this
year and will be forced to shut its doors permanently
unless it can pay off its large tax debt of approximately
$150,000 which has been mounting over the past decade.
It is normal that people should question how such an
historic, well supported and iconic club can get to be in
such a dire position. The honest answer is that there is
no one reason alone, but it can be broken down into a
combination of factors over the years including, but not
limited to, the following:
• Over-spending by previous management committees
including offering unrealistic player wages;
• Lack of accounting expertise at management level to
properly manage club finances;
• Difficulty in attracting people with strong commercial
and business acumen to assume leadership positions within
the club;
• Limited professional skills at committee level;
• Lack of interest and desire from supporters and members
of the community wanting to contribute at committee level;
• Lack of strategic planning by previous committees;
• Lack of financial support from Local Council to improve
facilities;
• Little or no volunteer support to assist committee
members on match days and other administrative tasks;
• No working Social Club committee to run fund raising
events and help supplement football club income;
• Year-on-year decreases in home game attendances;
• Dramatic reduction in membership numbers over the past 5
years;
• Dwindling sponsorship support from the Macedonian
community;
• Lack of member and community support for club
fundraising initiatives;
• Approximately $80,000 in fines imposed on the club for
crowd behaviour issues over the past 10 years;
• More than $50,000 in lost match day income due to being
forced to play a number of home games behind closed doors
in 2005/06/07 due to crowd issues;
• The imposition of over $30,000 worth of extra match day
security expenses between 2005-2009 due to crowd issues;
and
• Several businesses failing to meet their sponsorship
payment obligations to the club over recent seasons.
As can be seen from the list above, some of these reasons
have been within the club’s control, but a significant
number of them have been the result of external forces and
influences which the club has had little or no control
over. And this heavy financial burden which now plagues
the club also discourages good and honest people from
making a positive contribution because they know it will
be an uphill battle to reduce the club’s crippling debt
and maintain a successful football team on the field at
the same time.
However, if there is one thing that Macedonians are
renowned for it is their unwavering spirit and willingness
to fight to the end. That is why this has not stopped the
courageous group of people who today serve as the youngest
committee in the club’s history and for the first time
even includes a female member as vice president. This
small team of members represents what is arguably the
club’s last stand and they are keen on learning from the
mistakes of the past and building for the future.
That is why we are calling on every Preston Makedonia
supporter, the Australian and international Macedonian
community to help us raise $150,000 by December 2011, to
eradicate a debt that is threatening our very existence.
We have already received the support of one of the club’s
greatest sons and current Socceroo star, Sasa Ognenovski,
who offered this heartfelt message to the club’s loyal
army of supporters:
“Membership support has been the lifeblood of our football
club for over 50 years and the passion of our supporters
and the Macedonian community will have a huge impact on
whether this club is still around for the next 50 years. I
know that when my overseas football journey comes to an
end, I’d love to be able to play out my career in the
famous Preston Makedonia jersey for one more glorious
season. But for that to happen the club needs your support
now more than it ever has.”
The club is currently in the process of organising a
number of fund raising activities with the sole purpose of
making the Preston Makedonia Football Club debt free, and
the first of those initiatives is the launch of the
Preston Makedonia Debt Demolition Fund. We gladly welcome
all financial contributions and donations from the
community no matter what the amount. The club is also
running a Major Debt Demolition Raffle with over $4,500
worth of prizes up for grabs, and it is hoped that this
raffle will raise up to $20,000 to go toward the Debt
Demolition Fund.
This is undoubtedly the most significant undertaking by
the club in its 50-plus year history and one that is
beyond the mere few currently serving on the committee. It
will require a united community effort. If our club is to
survive and prosper beyond 2011 and continue to be a
leader in the Macedonian community, it will only be
through the desire, passion and generosity of the club’s
supporters and the wider Macedonian community.
Remember that every dollar counts, and will move us closer
to being in a position where we can focus entirely on
building our future instead of healing the wounds of the
past. Together we can and will eliminate our debt.
Donations can be made in the following ways:
AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS
AUSTRALIA ONLY
• PayPal (above and recommended).
• Send a cheque made payable to “Preston Lions Football
Club” to PO Box 382, Preston VIC 3072
• Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) your donation amount
into the following bank account (BSB: 063875 Account
Number: 10411159)
• Cash donations will be accepted at all home games
If you would like to discuss further how you can
contribute to the Preston Makedonia Debt Demolition Fund,
please contact the club via email at Preston.Lions.FC@gmail.com
We hope that you will join us in helping to make the
Preston Makedonia Football Club debt free! |
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